Sian Smale

Neck and low back pain.

Rehabilitation of sporting injuries.

Recovery post surgery.

Pre-natal & post-natal pilates.

Physiotherapy / Physical Therapy

Sian Smale is an Australian-trained Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist and Clinical Pilates Instructor. As a Physiotherapist, Sian has a keen interest in helping people with neck and back pain, headaches and sporting injuries. Growing up, Sian enjoyed many sports including swimming, volleyball, field hockey and tennis. More recently yoga, cycling, and snowboarding/skiing have captivated her time.

Sian lives in Melbourne and works at Physica Spinal and Physiotherapy Clinic. Sian uniquely blends Australian and American best practices together due to her experience working in San Francisco as a licensed Physical Therapist for many years before returning to Melbourne with her family. In 2009, Sian was awarded a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from La Trobe University and 2013 awarded a Masters Degree in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy from Melbourne University. Combining her love of sport, passion for manual therapy and training in Pilates, Sian is able to design individualized treatment programs and Pilates programs that truly focus on your goals and problems.

Clinical Pilates

In Clinical Pilates sessions, Sian focuses on individual, one-on-one sessions tailored to each client's goals and needs. These programs can involve a wide range of equipment from pilates reformers, Redcord, fitness balls, free weights and mat work. Sian completed her clinical pilates training through DMA (Dance Medicine Australia), and is a certified Functional Movement System instructor (FMS).

Physiotherapy Blog

Sian spent many years blogging on the Physiotherapy blog Rayner & Smale. Sian continues to enjoy reading peer-reviewed journal articles and formulating evidence-based approaches to assessment, yet family has been her priority recently over blogging.

Qualifications

Licensed Physiotherapist and APA-titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist in Australia 2009-current time
Licensed Physical Therapist in California 2017-2021
Clinical Pilates Instructor
Dry Needling Certification (Australia only) & Myofascial Decompression certification
CPR certified

Using the foam roller to work deep into the lats and intercostal muscles. Just breathe and let your ribs expand #breathing #pilatesrehab #pilatesinstructor #physicaltherapy #therapydiasf

Some things aren’t worth changing. The challenge is to find stillness in this pose #childspose

Variety is the spice of life. Take a break from being weighed down and reach those arms up! What’s your favourite overhead stretch? #reaching forward #reachrevolution #reducingneckpain #shouldertightness #pilatesrehab #shoulderstretch #therapyd

Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and happy holiday from all of us here at TherapydiaSF. 🎄🎄🎄

Even superhero’s blow up balloons #therapydiasf

Happy Halloween from everyone @therapydiasf #therapydiasf

Absolutely pumped to share that I’m am officially a licensed Physical Therapist in Californian. Such a long, challenging, rewarding and life changing experience. I love what I do for a living and now there are no barriers blocking my way. Thank

This one will train your entire spine. Quadruped low weight (1 blue spring) while maintaining thoracic and cervical positioning pilatesinstructor #functionaltraining #reformerpilates #neckstability

Preparing for the #levigranfondo metric century this weekend by building in neck control into my favourite scooter exercise #therapydiasf #physiotherapist #pilatesinstructor #functionaltraining #reformerpilates #neckstability

Therapydia on Maiden Lane (ignore the road signs and follow the fairy lights) #therapydiasf #physiotherapist #pilatesinstructor

Stoked to be bringing #redcord classes back into my clinical practice #therapydiasf #suspensiontraining